General Question

How do you reward yourself?

1. Do you do it every day for minor things…or only major things.??
2. What do you reward yourself with?
3. What feelings do you get from the reward process?
4. Do you think you could live without reward?
5. If not why not? If so how so?
6. DO you even need rewards?

22 Answers

I reward myself when I think I really deserve it. It’s usually in the form of a small purchase (picking up a dvd or tshirt or something), or if it’s not enough to merit that, a candy bar or beer or something. It’s usually just so that I can relax for a minute and be proud of whatever I’ve accomplished. I don’t think I need it, I could certainly do without, but it just gives me enough of a pick me up to do something else that is fulfilling.

I “reward” myself at work by promising myself something (ie10 mins of internet surfing) if I finish whatever it is I can’t seem to get myself to do.
I would surf the internet anyhow, and also do work anyhow
but somehow, its so much more… fulfilling when I use my “reward system”.
Come to think of it, I pretty much use this system to “convince” myself to do most things I might be reluctant to do!!

I only reward myself for major accomplishments. I figure the lure of a big prize at the end of a long journey is better than little prizes along the way. My next goal is being done with my thesis and officially graduating from graduate school. The prize? A pair of Jimmy Choo heels. Yay!

1. Do you do it every day for minor things…or only major things.?? I reward myself everyday I deserve it. It doesn’t have to be a big reward after all. For major accomplishment I get a major reward, though. 2. What do you reward yourself with? Whatever. It can be a refreshing drink after a tough day, a quite walk at sunset, a cigar, a good chat with someone I was not hearing about for a long time, a bottle of good wine, a new golf club, a snowboard session, or a weekend abroad (if I am lucky enough), really everything that comes into my mind at that moment. 3. What feelings do you get from the reward process? I feel I have accomplished something, and since I believe there’s just one life I feel my reward is fully deserved. 4. Do you think you could live without reward? Maybe not. 5. If not why not? If so how so? As I said rewards doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive things, I could reward myself whatever job/situation I may have/live.6. DO you even need rewards? I don’t feel my rewarding methods as something I have to blame myself about.

I reward myself for any accomplishment with the knowledge that I did something good. I let the feeling of accoplishment run all over me. I feel satisfaction and happiness from doing well. Sure I could live without the sense of satisfaction; life can continue, but it would not be very enjoyable. I need rewards because without feeling that I accomplished something, there would be no point in doing anything.

Chocolate. Although, it’s less that I’m rewarding myself for the task, and more a way to deter myself from eating too much chocolate. If I have to wait until the task is done, it means I’m not eating the chocolate continuously all day (which I would if I could!)

I work without expectation of reward. I reward without expectation of work.

I have a big disconnect between work and reward. I work because that’s what you do. Money is weird. It’s just numbers going into my bank account, and then I press buttons on the computer, and I can have the things I need. It’s hard for me to feel like those numbers have anything to do with my work. Usually I don’t get things until I absolutely, absolutely have to get them. My glasses are 4 years old. My computer is 6 years old (and slower than a glacier).

I had a bottle of champagne in the fridge for years. I was supposed to be for when I got a job. But then I got a job, but there was a probation period, and one excuse after another and it never got drunk. Finally, when I turned 50 (well a few months later) and my friends were visiting, we drank it.

Now there’s another bottle there that was supposed to be for New Year’s Eve. I wonder how that will stay there.

If we want to go out, we do (assuming a babysitter). If I want something to eat, I eat it. I don’t buy toys. Everything’s on a need basis. After all, there are two kids to get through college, and retirement to think of.

Sometimes I tell myself I need to finish a few boring household chores before I get to sit outside with my book. Or I’ll need to work out first and then I can take a stroll downtown on a nice day.

Sometimes I need more of a motivation to do things that need to be done than other times. It’s just a way to yank a knot in my tail when I need it. I could live without it, but I’d probably get less done for a while.

I pamper myself occasionally. I’ll get my nails done or get my hair cut/colored. Thats usually for big things. for minor things i allow the indulgence of guilty pleasures…like a pint of sorbet or some of those de-lish cookies from the market that are covered in frosting and sugar-y…drool…

Never thought of it that way, but here:
1. mostly minor
2. depends on situation, eg if I’ve lost weight it could be a nice meal, if I’ve saved money that month it will be something I like.
3. accomplishment
4. without self-reward, maybe, but you need some sort of reward in life in general (eg to get paid when you work, or else you’ll just quit your job).
5. -
6. everyone does, some sort anyway.